Conventionally, it is usual that, for EMI measure and ensuring mechanical strength, a connector of this type is provided with a tapped metal flange and a frame (panel) on the electronic device side and the flange of the connector are screwed together. As the I/O connector provided at an opening of a panel, a board, or a casing or frame of an electrical device, or the like in this manner, there is conventionally one disclosed in each of Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2.
The connector shown in each of Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 is a connector called the right angle connection type (hereinafter referred to as Prior Art 1).
The connector according to Prior Art 1 includes a Connector body and a shell forming the contour. On the other hand, on the front side of the shell is provided a flange standing upright integrally with the shell. On the lower side of the shell, project portions are provided which pass through a board and fixed by soldering on the back side. The flange is screwed to an attaching panel on the front side and it is configured that an opening portion of the connector can be observed through an opening of the panel.
On the other hand, an I/O connector called the perpendicular connection type (hereinafter referred to as Prior Art 2) includes a shell forming the contour of a connector body. The shell is integrally provided with flanges at its upper end and provided with projecting portions projecting downward at its lower end. Further, at the upper surface of the connector body, a fitting portion is provided which is adapted to be fitted to a mating plug connector. The flanges are provided on both sides of the fitting portion for fixation by matching an opening portion of a panel. The projecting portions projecting from the lower end of the shell are inserted into through-holes formed in a board and are fixed by soldering or the like. A boss portion is provided so as to project on a surface of each flange opposite to its fixing side and a screw is screwed through the boss portion from the fixing side so as to be provided on the inner surface of the boss portion.
In the case of the connector according to each of Prior Arts 1 and 2, the width of a connecting portion of the flange connected to the shell forming the contour cannot be increased due to restriction in opening shape between fitting portions thereof. Therefore, the screwing is carried out by the use of an electric driver or the like. There has been a problem that, due to strong pushing of the electric driver in device assembly, the flange is bent or deformed before being screwed and hence the screwing cannot be achieved.
On the other hand, in the case of the connector according to each of Prior Arts 1 and 2, if the flange is strengthened, the flange is hardly deformed during the screwing. However, particularly in the case of the miniature connector, even if the strength of the joining portion with the flange is large, there is a possibility that an excessive pushing force with the driver affects the soldered portions of the connector to thereby generate solder cracks.
Further, the connector itself increases in size and also increases in weight due to the flange having such a large strength, which is thus the unnecessary structure for a user who does not strongly push the driver.
Patent Document 1:
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-260528
Patent Document 2:
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H10-340761